Biography
Dr Rupert Stuart-Smith is the Deputy Director and a Senior Research Fellow in Climate Science and the Law at the Oxford Sustainable Law Programme.
In his research, Rupert advances methods in attribution science to shed new light on the impacts of climate change on health, glaciers, and extreme weather events. In 2025, he co-led the development of guidance for research attributing health impacts to climate change. He also studies the implications of developments in climate science for state and corporate actors’ legal duties. Rupert publishes on the implications of burgeoning climate litigation on climate-related financial risk.
Rupert's recent publications include research on legal scrutiny of states’ dependence on CO2 removal to meet climate targets, the impact of climate change on glacial retreat in Peru in the context of a high-profile lawsuit (Lliuya v RWE) and the evidence needed to substantiate causation arguments in climate-related legal actions. His research has been published in leading scientific journals including Science, Nature Geoscience and Nature Climate Change.
Rupert regularly provides scientific advice and training for lawyers and judges. He has worked as an expert advisor to the Interamerican Court of Human Rights, and a consultant for the Foundation for International Law for the Environment, Climate Analytics and Vivid Economics. Rupert holds a DPhil and BA(Hons) in Geography from the University of Oxford. Rupert has also received the Alfred Steers Prize from the Royal Geographical Society.
Recent Publications
in Nature Climate Change
Colin J. Carlson , Dann Mitchell , Rory Gibb , Rupert Stuart-Smith , Tamma Carleton , Torre E. Lavelle , Catherine A. Lippi , Megan Lukas-Sithole , Michelle A. North , Sadie J. Ryan , Dorcas Stella Shumba , Matthew Chersich , Mark New , Christopher H. Trisos
in Nature Climate Change
Thomas Hale , Thom Wetzer , Selam Kidane Abebe , Myles Allen , Amir Amel-Zadeh , John Armour , Kaya Axelsson , Ben Caldecott , Lucilla Dias , Sam Fankhauser , Benjamin Franta , Cameron Hepburn , Kennedy Mbeva , Lavanya Rajamani , Steve Smith , Rupert Stuart-Smith
in One Earth
Emily Boyd , Brian C. Chaffin , Kelly Dorkenoo , Guy Jackson , Luke Harrington , Alicia N'Guetta , Emma L. Johansson , Linnéa Nordlande , Salvatore Paolo De Rosa , Emmanuel Raju , Murray Scown , Joyce Soo , Rupert Stuart-Smith
Rupert Stuart-Smith , Ben Clarke , Luke J. Harrington , Friederike E. L. Otto
Rupert Stuart-Smith , Aisha I. Saad , Friederike E. L. Otto , Gaia Lisi , Kristian Cedervall Lauta , Petra Minnerop , Thom Wetzer
in Nature Climate Change
Rupert Stuart-Smith , Friederike E. L. Otto , Aisha I. Saad , Gaia Lisi , Petra Minnerop , Kristian Cedervall Lauta , Kristin van Zwieten , Thom Wetzer
Gaurav Ganti , Andreas Geiges , Matthew Gidden , Inga Menke , Carl-Friedrich Schleussner , Rupert Stuart-Smith , Ryan Wilson
in Nature Geoscience
Rupert Stuart-Smith , G.H. Roe , S. Li , Myles R. Allen
in Health Affairs
Kristie L. Ebi , Christofer Åström , Christopher J. Boyer , Luke J. Harrington , Jeremy J. Hess , Yasushi Honda , Eileen Kazura , Rupert Stuart-Smith , Friederike E. L. Otto
Simon Dietz , Valentin Jahn , Jolien Noels , Rupert Stuart-Smith , Cameron Hepburn
Recent Events
@15:00
'Fighting climate change in the courts: the potential of climate change litigation' - Rupert Stuart-Smith (Sustainability)
INET Researcher Seminar
Online Event
